Speaker marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, urges creation of truth and healing commission for Indian boarding schools

An unidentified speaker formally recognized the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and called for remembrance of Indigenous children sent to Indian boarding schools, saying many never returned.

"Today, we recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation," the speaker said, urging Congress and the public to remember survivors and their families.

The speaker described assimilationist policies and Indian boarding schools as having inflicted lasting harm on survivors, their families and Indigenous communities across the United States and Canada. "To remember the indigenous children who were sent, but many who never returned from Indian boarding schools," they said, and added that the day calls the nation to "come face to face with some of the painful realities of Indian boarding schools."

The speaker said they have introduced legislation "to establish a truth and healing commission on Indian boarding schools" and noted that hearings on the subject have been held in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "We've held hearings in the senate Indian affairs committee," the speaker said, presenting the bill as part of efforts to raise awareness.

They framed the commemoration as paired with Indigenous resilience and cultural survival, saying communities are working to ensure their cultures and languages endure. The speaker urged continued public attention, saying the goal is to "promote justice, and support healing for survivors" and that ‘‘their stories deserve to be heard and respected.’’

The remarks concluded with a call to confront historical harms as a step toward a more inclusive future: "For it's only by facing the challenges of the past that we can create a safer, more inclusive future for all." No bill number, legislative text, or schedule for further committee action was specified in the remarks.